Vuelta a España: Stage 17
Parcours preview
Distance: 184.5km
Category: Rolling
Highest point: 1,240m
The second rest day comes at the end of the Pyrenean stages and before the final encounter with the mountains in Asturias. Burgos has become one of the Vuelta's preferred stepping-of points after transitioning through the Pyrenees, featuring most years on the route since the mid-90s and usually ending in a bunch sprint, with Mark Cavendish, Óscar Freire and Alessandro Petacchi among former victors. Two third-category climbs in the second half of the stage provide reason for optimism among those who get into the break of the day. However, the second of them tops out 50km from the finish, giving the sprinters' teams plenty of time to chase down the day's hares.
José Azevedo: "This is not a hard stage. The only complication could be the wind, as it's very open around Logroño and Burgos and you're pretty high up at around 800m all day. The sprinters' teams should take control. It's one of the six or seven days that suit them."
Don't forget to download the Cyclingnews Tour Tracker mobile app for live coverage of the Vuelta!
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Peter Cossins has written about professional cycling since 1993 and is a contributing editor to Procycling. He is the author of The Monuments: The Grit and the Glory of Cycling's Greatest One-Day Races (Bloomsbury, March 2014) and has translated Christophe Bassons' autobiography, A Clean Break (Bloomsbury, July 2014).
Most Popular
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Tour of the Gila: Marlies Mejias Garcia wins stage 2 as Stephens retains race lead
Repeat victory for Cuban, who out-sprinted Kuskova on stage to Fort Bayard -
Tour of the Gila: Scott McGill wins men's stage 2 Inner Loop Road Race
Stites moves into race lead with third at Fort Bayard -
Lizzie Deignan gets green light to race La Vuelta Femenina
'My recovery has maybe been better than we even expected' says Deignan after suffering a broken arm in Tour of Flanders crash -
Gravel's newest star Torbjørn Røed leaves road behind with Unbound in mind
Conclusion of Tripel Crown of Gravel takes place this Sunday then Norwegian resets for Unbound Gravel